Apple and Orange are apparently working on a deal, although the points of contention are essentially the same as before. Apple will apparently be offering a larger discount for a longer contract, something it was initially hesitant to do, and Orange is still paying a large revenue sharing percentage (although it's decreased a bit). Orange will also "prepay" for a significant quantity of iPhones. And what of unlocked iPhones? Well, French law only requires free unlocking after six months, at which point Apple is hoping to have the next iPhone revision ready.

We're likely to see more back-and-forth between Apple and Orange before this is over, so hang on tight. With any luck, the two might be able to ink a deal sometime in November, which would put iPhones on track for a December or January arrival. In the meantime, I'm sure Orange will make periodic announcements to keep everyone both interested and confused, just as they've been doing so far.